Why do you train?

A dear friend of mine posed this question to me recently: "Why do you train?"

This had me reflect on what I do, and prompted me to write up this short manifesto that I'd like to share.

- - -

Training is in my nature. It improves me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I train for myself, for my loved ones, and for everyone I know. I train for myself.

I train because we are all in this together. I hope to inspire others in the same way that my teachers, teammates, and everyone of you who go to the box and genuinely give their all in the WODs have and continue to inspire me. And yes, you do inspire me. Iron sharpens iron.

I train to not be a burden to society. I strive to function well in it, to be a credit to it. In learning how to tough it out, I also learn how to yield, and I discover how it is to be truly free.

I train because I know it is difficult. Nothing fruitful comes easy in this world, not for anyone. Not the smartest minds, not the best of technologies, not the most complex of systems can beat simple, consistent, hard work. Everyone can benefit from some grit.

I train to know myself the best I can. Between the floor, the rings, the bars, the plates, the clock and myself, there is no room for lies and charades. My belongings, my issues, other's opinions of me, they all don't matter. There is only me and what I do.

To let go of the burdens that limit me physically, mentally, emotionally, and to help others do the same- that is why I train.

- - -

Now, why do you train?

Steve Cotter Kettlebell Conditioning Workshop 2012.01.23

Respect comes with understanding- and now I have a deeper understanding of kettlebell training and a much higher respect for the 16KG kettlebell!

A few weeks ago, WOD Nation Coaches Aaron, Ferdi, and I were fortunate enough to have been able to participate in Steve Cotter's kettlebell conditioning workshop over at the Project Lifestyle Manila studio in Ortigas. I love these enlightening experiences. At first, I'd have to be honest that I wasn't really that excited to be joining the workshop. I was just curious to see if I'd learn a new thing or two. But man, I was in for for a ride.

16 KG KB. Respect it.

A few days before Steve Cotter's workshop, us participants had to first go through a day's worth of reviewing kettlebell basics via JP Sabido of the Philippine Kettlebell Club (also a Taekwondo national team member), so that we'd all be up to speed once we go into the workshop with Steve Cotter. This alone was already well worth the seminar fee! In my brief stint attending a CrossFit box in the US, I was taught the basic kettlebell swing and the Turkish get up, but moving forward I had to just Google my way through to learn the kettlebell clean and snatch. Researching is ok if you already have a good background in what you're learning. But really, all the intricacies of the kettlebell really need personal instruction to fully grasp. From how to swing and use the kettlebell's momentum for the snatch and clean, to elbow placement and how it affect's the arc of the swing, to proper racking, breathing, and rhythm, JP taught and drilled us in a whole host of details that I know will refine and heighten my kettlebell practice.

Thanks JP for the refresher!

On the actual kettlebell conditioning workshop, Steve Cotter got us intimate with the concept of enduring strength. Even just isometric holds with the double kettlebell front rack is a challenge! With all these exercises, progressions and training structure, all of us participants were opened up to a whole new way of looking at kettlebells for developing explosiveness, endurance, and overall toughness that can be easily applied to our individual sports.

Coaches Ferdi and Aaron practicing
the double kettlebell front rack.

Steve explaining a training progression to the jerk.

Also, can I just say that I have huge respect for Steve Cotter and what he does. I've been very fortunate to have come across instructors with genuine skill in both teaching and performing their methods, like my coaches Richard and Ryan Gialogo for arnis, the uncompromising Ido Portal for bodyweight strength and movement, and my fellows Aaron for powerlifting and Ferdi for triathlon. With Steve, it was truly amazing to see such a high level of stamina and accuracy with the kettlebells. He was able to lead us and demonstrate all the exercises up to the finest standard consistently throughout the whole day, all the while clearly explaining and making sure we understand the how's and why's of these exercises.

I always feed off of these displays of conditioning and skill. It motivates me to witness with my own eyes how much I can still improve myself. Just when I think I've gotten far, I realize that I got long, long ways to go. Daunting, and yet invigorating as well. I think I'm a masochist. Haha!

We capped off the workshop, with a quick team workout. Challenge yourself!

Along these lines, one realization that I believe needs special mention is how the one arm swing develops (and taxes!) grip strength. Actually I already knew that my grip had long ways to improve since before, so I'd always keep that in mind and train for it as much as I can. I've been accumulating forearm and grip strengthening exercises and trying them out. And now that I can more consistently bend bottlecaps  with one hand when before I couldn't, I could see that my grip strength did improve over time. (Cute party trick too! Try it our some time. hehe.) But with the one arm kettlebell swing that Steve had us do for timed intervals, I realized how the stamina of my grip left a huge gap in my conditioning. Another way to improve and challenge myself!

Like they say, knowing is half the battle.

Thanks to Steve Cotter, Nico and Summayah D'haenen, JP and the rest of the PKC, Toffy Ilagan and Project Lifestyle Manila for the great workshop!

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certification Course - Singapore 11.27.2011

It was an informative and inspiring CrossFit  Level 1 Trainer Certification last month at CrossFit Singapore! I am grateful to the Boz, Trace and Doug for being patient with all our questions. There were so many queries but they took the time to address all of them.

with the Boz and Aaron

I studied the CrossFit training manuals and journal articles through and through, but hearing Adrian Bozman's explanations still gave me a much more comprehensive understanding of the concepts behind CrossFit. The honesty, depth, clarity, and brevity of the instruction is just top notch and I think would be difficult to find anywhere else. It was also gratifying to learn that my understanding of the nine foundation movements were up to speed- this bolstered my confidence as a coach and also put to rest some questions I had regarding these movements.

with Doug Armstrong

I'm also glad that I took the Level 1 Cert with a few months of being an apprentice trainer at CrossFit MNL under my belt. This gave me first hand experience that allowed me to see right away how the concepts are applied.

With all these preparations, come the second day I was completely confident in my capability to answer the certification test.

with Trace

It was quite interesting doing the classroom sessions, hands on work, and wods with the other seminar participants. We were from different parts of the globe but it's clear we shared the same passion. We had just met there for the first time but we were all already buddies helping each other where we can, pushing and cheering each other in the wods (workouts of the day). No one was a slouch, each attendee talked the talk and walked the walk! The community spirit of CrossFit is indeed genuine and borderless.

Seminar attendees after the wod on the first day.

Thank you also to Coach Kevin Lim for hosting the seminar. CF Singapore is instrumental in spreading and elevating the level of CrossFit here in South East Asia. Wearing gas masks in met-cons is just wild!

- - -

Having received my test results via email last December 7, 2011, I can now say that I am a certified CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. Congratulations also to coach Aaron!

Ido Portal's Movement Workshop

After just two days with Ido Portal on his Movement Workshop, he has given me a great wealth of information and insights that have already influenced how I approach fitness training. My thoughts on body weight strength training were reinforced, and more. Ido showed us not just the efficacy of bodyweight strength and mobility training, but how they are essential components of any functional fitness training program.

Ido showing us proper active
shoulders for pull ups...

Working on handstand, planche, dip, pull up progressions do so much more than just improve strength, they actually redefine it in a sense. With these movements what you get is not just raw, brute, contractile strength of the limbs, but a more stable, refined, and efficient ability to apply yourself in movement. Body weight strength training does a lot to also improve coordination, balance, body awareness, and accuracy of movement.

... And what it can lead to.

Also, I cannot overstate the value of the joint prep and mobility work that Ido presents. It's not just about learning more radical ways of stretching yourself into a pretzel. It's about which mobility exercises are important preparations for different kinds of activities, and why they are important. With his mobility exercises, I can actually carry weight on my back and over my head more safely and effectively!

Prior to the workshop I have already been a fan of body weight strength training, practicing the frog stand, some planche progressions and the handstand (or not, apparently I was just leaning on the wall inverted, wasting my time without any f***ing clue. hahaha!). I thought I would get stronger and then in time, just "get" it somehow. But with what I learned from Ido, I now have a more complete understanding of how to build my strength and coordination through the proper progressions. I now have a proper roadmap toward a true handstand and planche. Now it's just a matter getting my boots dirty and walking up the path. Someday soon!

I am very thankful for having had the opportunity to train and learn under Ido Portal and Odelia Goldschmidt. Just seeing them move is already a treat in itself! In time, I hope to be able to improve myself and come closer to their level of self mastery.

(To date, 10 days after the workshop, and still without implementing Ido's full program (I just practiced his hand balancing drills here and there in my free time), my personal record so far has become a 5 second full handstand from a kick up. That's a 500% improvement from my pre-Ido practice! I'll post a video once I'm past 10 seconds.)

Ido Portal's Movement Workshop day one

I am just so tired from day 1 of Ido Portal's movement workshop. All those midline stabilization drills, hand balancing progressions, and movement prep has left me spent literally from my fingers to my toes. And he says that it's really not strength work yet, just work capacity training! That is one of the lessons that I got from this day. I'm weak! And, I can say that with a smile on my face. No where else to go but up! I'm tired, but also so amazed at the breadth and depth of the information that I was able to gather.

Ido showing us how to balance a handstand with
Odelia Goldschmidt.

Even just the warm ups and preparatory exercises for the wrists, forearms and shoulders were already such gems- add in the handstand, pull up, and dip progressions and you get a treasure trove of exercises that will get any person (yes, that means even you!) stronger and more mobile, and while using a minimal amount of equipment. The value really is in the coaching, the progressions, and the programming of the training in order to get people progressing from their current level of  strength, coordination, and balance, up to greater and greater heights.

And on a different note, Ido Portal is really my kind of coach. He doesn't mince words, very diligent and uncompromising in his methods, and shows how it is to really be able to bring out the best in the athletes that he trains. That is, with quality, concise instruction and proper cues that are easy to understand, and an unwavering focus on getting the athlete to perform correctly what needs to be done. To quote him: "if you are a good coach, then you are an asshole already". Haha!

One more full day of learning tomorrow, and I'm ready to learn more. I just hope my body will be rested up and ready as well!

When I grow up, I want to be just like Ido!

Rejuvination and inspiration

I have to confess, I've become somewhat complacent these past few months.

Upon being a member and then an apprentice trainer at Crossfit MNL, and practicing more the paleo/ancestral way of eating and living, I've seen myself improve immensely. I've become stronger (increased my deadlift by 40 lbs without exclusively training for it) and more balanced (I can now do a frogstand for 30 seconds consistently, and am starting to be able to do a true handstand) while maintaining my aerobic endurance (10km run stayed at around 1 hour) and increasing my anaerobic endurance and stamina (fran time decreased from 11 minutes to 7 ). I've also become more confident and capable as a coach, being exposed and trained more and more in teaching proper movement mechanics and encouraging an increasingly diverse group of people.

You'd think with that with those improvements that others see in me, that I'd be more inspired to do more. In fact, I've felt a little bit burned out on occasion, and gave myself some leeway to slack of a bit. I guess that did have it's purpose, but that has gone it's course and it's high time to get back in the saddle again. After gaining those accomplishments it's been more than a month already that I've been slacking off in training and in eating. Thank goodness I haven't regressed (I hope!), but I pretty much am certain that I stalled.

With the help and encouragement of my dearest, I did see the need to reset myself and take opportunities that present themselves. So even when I didn't really feel that I was up to it yet, I signed up for the movement workshop by Ido Portal (also with the help of Crossfit MNL) and the Crossfit Level 1 Trainer Certification Course at Crossfit Singapore. Bahala na.

But now, with these things on my plate, I'm starting to be more diligent in my habits again. I'm eating and sleeping better again, which in turn gives me more energy to train myself more.

Also, I was lucky enough to see first hand what Ido Portal and his group are capable of, and it's just jaw dropping. I'm at a loss to describe the level of mastery that they've achieved with bodyweight strength. You really have to see it for yourself, no photo or video can suffice. Now, I realize again the importance of surrounding myself with people better than me.

I foresee these to be very exciting times ahead.

Let's go!

Lent and eating

(Belated) Happy Easter everyone! Just wanted to share a few thoughts that I had over the Holy Week, regarding religion, spirituality, and physical training.

"Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general."

- Mark Rippetoe

Jesus Christ was a strong person. So strong, that He actually conquered mortality. He was able to break free of worldly limitations. And He offers us the same freedom, if only we follow His example.

This is what I believe that Lent is about. This season is a reminder for us that we don't really need much in order to live good and fulfilling lives. In fact, if we examine Jesus' example, we'd see the value in practicing self control and training ourselves physically as well as mentally in order to endure more. In learning to master our own emotions and preconceptions, we can express ourselves more honestly and clearly to the world. When we temper our hearts and souls to not mind the little things, we will be able to see the larger view. When we complain less, we can help more. When we crave less, we can give more.

Of course, reminders such as this, along with all rituals and symbols, have meaning if and only if the values they represent are truly learned and applied. They remain relevant only as long as we open ourselves up to them and let them make us stronger.

One of the easiest ways we can examine ourselves and how we are able to respond to the lessons of the Lenten season is to look at our food consumption. Abstaining from luxury foods is one of the most popular Lenten practices. We tell ourselves that to be good Catholics, during Lent we will abstain from the delicious desserts that we otherwise would enjoy regularly. Most of us are actually able to go through the motions quite well.

But what happens after? All to often we see ourselves bouncing back to our old ways with a vengeance, just like Lent didn't happen at all. No change, no lessons learned, no growth. Just like all those haphazard jumping into and out of detox and other faddish diets.

Personally, with my quest to clean up my diet (which does not necessarily coincide with Lent) I have realized that we need not much more than cheap, fresh, locally grown produce in order to make our bodies flourish. Most of everything else is indulgent luxury. Moreover, imported, processed food are often too nutritionally imbalanced and cost too much resources to manufacture and transport that a purist would see that consuming these foods regularly can actually be an injustice.

I admit, though, that I haven't been able to totally stay away from these. I still indulge myself from time to time. This usually happens when I'm celebrating an occasion, or out with friends or family. But at the least, I now recognize that I don't need to eat sweets and other luxury foods regularly in order to stay happy, and have been consuming them less and less.

Swallowing the bitter pill

(Ampalaya is bitter gourd. A very horribly bitter gourd. Photo taken from Wikipedia)

How often do you eat ampalaya? How about okra?

Hopefully most of you have a taste, or at least tolerance, for these kinds of foods. For some reason, my parents and grandparents seem to like them- we have pinakbet served at home regularly. But not me. I haven't had the fortune of growing a taste for these nutritious vegetables. Yet.

In the interest of living healthier, I have resolved to clean up my diet and get used to eating these kinds of vegetables. I've told myself that from now on, I will not refuse a serving of vegetables whenever I am at the meal table, no matter what is in it. And even though earlier tonight at dinner my stomach heaved a bit in protest, so far I haven't eaten those words.

I don't have much of a method to my effort, I just man up and scarf down those veggies. I guess it's just like doing a high volume workout: just grind through the motions at a steady pace and don't dilly dally, all else be damned. Then hopefully, sooner or later the body adapts.

Sometimes, food and drink is selected and consumed for pleasuring the pallate, to help calm and clear the mind of stress, to celebrate special occasions, or to lubricate otherwise grating social occasions. But beyond these, we should also see food by their primary function: as our fuel.

Drugs for muscle pains?

I had a pretty grueling workout session this week, leaving me with a pretty funny wobble when I go down stairs. Three days after, my quads are the most painful they've been, though at least I'm just starting to get back my leg strength (I can now walk pretty normally and can do a pistol squat or two).

Anyone who has had a passing interest in fitness and exercise probably would be familiar with the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is pain that manifests around a day or two after a muscle or group of muscles are worked specially hard.

While DOMS is a regular occurrence in strength training, in my experience it is usually just an inconvenience. However, once in a while I'd get an unusually bad case where my mobility and strength are noticeably decreased, such that my workout schedule and sometimes even my daily productivity are affected. These times, I'd talk to my friends and colleagues and look around the internet for published articles and forum discussions regarding the latest best practices for alleviating the soreness and get back to training the soonest.

This time, I was quite tempted to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin) as opposed to before when I would just not mind the pain and discomfort. However, reading through some online stopped me from doing so.

Apparently, studies determining the efficacy of NSAIDs in treating DOMS are conflicting in their findings, varying from those showing possible positive effects, to those showing no effect at all (Connolly et al., 2003).

This next quote sums up the arguments against using anti-inflammatory drugs for exercise recovery quite well:

"NSAID use, however, carries with it the risk of overuse and misuse, which could result in potential side effects such as stomach ulcers, liver damage, and kidney failure. In addition, inflammation itself is a necessary part of muscle remodeling and regeneration after muscle injury. Interfering with this natural healing process could conceivably be detrimental to long-term muscle health and recovery." (Sayers, 2008)

It is true that some studies support the effectiveness of NSAIDs and maybe even some readers would stand as testaments in support of this. But in the light of the conflicting studies and inherent risks, I would advice caution when considering use of any medicine (even over the counter ones) without a prescription.

My opinion, which comes from basic common knowledge, is this: drugs like ibuprofen are medications, used for the treatment of illnesses. Muscle soreness due to exercise is not an illness. Unless you have a fever, gout, arthritis or any other medical condition, I think it would be best if you stick to proper nutrition, rest, and maybe the occasional supplement.

One other thing, is that pain usually is a sign of an issue you have to address. You don't just pop a pain killer while keeping your hand on a steaming kettle, right? Maybe you should swallow your pride and take it easy for a bit, and increase your training load more gradually.

Part of exercising at high intensities and volumes is the task of grinding through the pain, both during and after. It makes us better.

- - -
REFERENCES

Sayers, Stephen P. 2008.
Treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness: Is preventon the answer? Gatorade Sports Science Institute 11 Mar, 2011
GSSI Sports Science Library
http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleid=725&level=3&topic=10

Connolly, D.A.J., Sayers, S.P., & McHugh, M.P. 2003.
Treatment and prevention of delayed-onset muscle soreness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17, 197-208.

Why we need to take notes

As we all know, 1/12 of the year just passed us. I think we all need to ask ourselves this question: where are we with regards to our new year resolutions? With our performance this past month, will we really be able to reach the goals, fitness related or not, that we've set for this year?

If you said no, or are reading up till here without being able to decidedly answer a "yes", then you are probably among those who need to reasess the measures you have in place to help you be able to reach your goals.

For this purpose I'd like to share to you a helpful tool that I have used effectively for more than a year now: a notebook. At school and work, we read textbooks, manuals, presentations, take down (or photocopy someone else's) notes. Without these things, it will be almost impossible to

track, analyze, and improve on previous work. Why not have the same for our personal

activities? Documentation is essential for clarity.

For fitness and athletic training, recording your workouts and performance is a great aid to ensuring that your are able to stick to your programs, and see if your training is effective for you. You will be able to compare your performance today with that from a few weeks, months, or years ago. You will be able to record your personal bests. These personal bests and past performances, now become targets that you have to surpass. You become more accountable to yourself.

A page from my workout log from 2009. Smudged and barely legible, but did it's job well.

Incidentally, this is also a big reason why the conditioning workouts that I post here on the blog have at least 1 performance-dependent variable, mostly either volume (sets x reps) or time. This way, even with bodyweight exercises you are still able to measure your performance and compare with other times you did those same workouts.

As you fill in your notebook with more workdays and gather more information on your performance, you'll also be more able to control the elements of your training to suit your needs. You'll be able to clearly see your rate of improvement, analyze if you're starting to plateau or overtrain, then make adjustments to improve at your optimum rate and minimize injury.

I'd suggest even putting there your food intake and the amount of rest you had prior to your workouts or training sessions, so that you can correlate those with your performance as well.

You can be as detailed as you want, as long as you don't get lost in it. You also can do it as concisely as just jotting down "ran 3km in 26 minutes this morning, took it easy because I had a late night". As long as you are able to keep track of your performance, it will still help you stay honest and realistic with your training.

Hill Run

Welcome the new year with a bang guys! Go out and try something new, or retry something that you've left behind with a new outlook.

Personally, I have decided that I will try more endurance sports, like running. Hence this little hill run. It's not a long distance effort yet, but hopefully a good start.

I used to run 5 kilometers every weekend, but I had to stop when my right knee started hurting every time after a run. Looking back, I didn't really know what I was doing, just putting a foot in front of the other quickly and hoping for the best.

Over the past few months, I've been reading about dealing with knee injuries, and I discovered that an adequate amount of lower body strength and proper running form can save people from chronic injuries. A lot of squats, torso conditioning and some research into Pose and Chi running later (2 similar systems of running form), I'm pain free so far. Hopefully now I can increase my running volume without any side effects.

- - -

Warm Up:
- 200m run or 100 jumping jacks
- DROMS (shoulder circles, arm swings, chicken wings, leg swings)
- 20 each: high knee run, cheerleader run, heel to rear run

Strength Training:
5x5 Push ups
- Do 5 sets of the most difficult push up variation that you can do for 5 repetitions.

= 5x5 single arm push ups (feet shoulder width apart)

WOD:
Run 3km.

= 22 minutes 28 seconds (done in Camp John Hay, back and forth between the Mile High Inn and the convention center)

Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays guys!

Warm Up:
- 200m run or 100 jumping jacks
- DROMS (shoulder circles, arm swings, chicken wings, leg swings)
- 8 reps: tuck ups, Good mornings, Push ups, Squats

WOD:
30 reps each, for time:
- squats
- push ups
- reverse crunches
- thrusters (60 or 40 lbs)
- arch rocks
- hollow rocks
- pyramid/regular push ups
- jumping pull ups

* If you are not yet familiar with the thruster exercise, you can do jump squats instead.
* If you are not familiar with reverse crunches, you can substitute with knee up or regular ab crunches
* If you are unable to do pull ups, you can substitute with rows or supermans/back arches

Cooper Test in the Morning

Sometimes you just have to try it.

As I write this, it seems that the first thing in the morning work out is ok, though I did have to take a 40 minute nap come lunchtime. Haha! But I think that has more to do with how I slept for just 5 hours last night. Some days, you need to maybe skip a workout and rest. Some other days, you should just suck it up, skip the snoozing and get a 30 minute workout in.

The 12 minute run seems to be a good test of cardiovascular endurance. Long enough to really test out your lungs, but not too long as to be a significant long distance run that would be too taxing to some people. I'm not sure how Dr. Cooper developed his result standards table, but I guess it can give you a ballpark estimate of how you compare to most of the population. Bottom line, when you do the 12 minute run again sometime in the future, you can see if and how much you've improved.

0500-0530 in the morning
Warm up:
- 3x10 reps each of: High knee run, Cheerleader run, Running in place

WOD: Run the farthest you can in 12 minutes (Cooper Test)
= 2,640 meters

- - -
1740-1850
Warm Up:
- 300 jrj = 2min 12 s
- DROMS
- 10 each: Pyramid push ups, Pull ups, Arch/Hollow Rocks, Samson lunges, Side lunges

Strength Training:

5x5, 3x3 Shoulder Press
- 1x5 @ 50, 60, 70, 80
- 5x5 @ 90 lbs
- 3x3 @ 105 lbs

3x7 Pull Ups
- 3x7 strict ring pull ups

WOD:
21-15-9 for time:
- burpees
- reverse crunches
= 3min 57 sec

Bodyweight Workout

I'm posting this bodyweight workout for the benefit of those of you who don't have dumbbells and/or are unfamiliar with the exercises in yesterday's WOD.

Warm up:
- 300 jump rope jumps
- DROMS: shoulder rotations, archer reaches, scorpions, leg swings
- 10 each: Pyramid/Pike push ups, Situps, Arch rocks, Hollow rocks, Side rocks, Good mornings, Side lunges

Strength Training:
5x5 (Bodyweight) Single Leg Deadlifts
- 1 set 5 reps of regular bodyweight squats
- 1 set 5 reps of backward lunges
- 5 sets of 5 repetitions each, single leg deadlifts
* Use the first two sets of squats/lunges to review the mechanics of stable hip/leg movement (at the least, keep your weight on your heels, knees aligned with toes, don't slouch).

WOD:
Do as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
- 1 Back bridge/Hip thrust
- 1 Situp
- 1 Pair of lunges (Stand up tall before each lunge.)
- 1 Push up
- Lie back down
* Try to do the movements in each round as smooth and seamless as possible, without pause or rest within each round. You can take a breather in between rounds. Also, try to keep proper posture throughout, even when transitioning between the exercises.

Dumbbells, dumbbells

Warm up:
- 300 jump rope jumps
- DROMS: shoulder dislocations, archer reaches, scorpions, leg swings
- 10 each: Pyramid push ups, DB OH situps, Arch rocks, Hollow rocks, Side rocks, Good mornings, Side lunges

5x5 Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
- 1x5 @ 40, 50, 60, 70 lbs
- 5x5 @ 80 lbs (2x40lb DBs, 30% 1RM of regular Deadlift)

WOD:
With a single dumbbell, do as many rounds as possible in 10min of:
- 1 Single arm DB pull over
- 1 Turkish get up
- 1 Single arm push press
- 1 Pair, DB OH lunges (1 lunge with each leg)
- Negative turk. get up, pull over
* Start and end each round lying down with the dumbbell on the floor, behind your head.

= 16 rounds, 1x15lb DB

Dumbbell Pull over:
- Start by lying on the floor, face up and legs extended, holding the dumbbell (with 1 or 2 hands) on the floor beyond your head, with elbow(s) slightly bent and shoulder(s) fully open.
- Keeping the angle of your elbow the same, raise the dumbbell up to above your shoulder/chest, ending with your arm perpendicular to your body. Return to the initial position by moving exactly in reverse, keeping your elbow just slightly bent.
- Keep your torso tight and your legs extended throughout the exercise.

Let's go sago!

From this point on, once in a while I will be posting a workout that I performed. Ideally, I'd be able to put here all the workouts that I'll do, in an effort to improve my documentation, and ultimately the quality of my own training. If I have extra time, I'll also add in some notes for those who will want to do the same workouts, and some thoughts on specific issues related to physical conditioning and the martial arts.

The previous workouts on this blog are actually patterned after ones that I've done myself, so what I'll be posting won't really be that big of a stretch for those that I've coached for those WODs earlier this year. The biggest difference will be that my strength training will involve a lot of weightlifting and some gymnastics, so equipment may become a constraint for those working out from their homes. In this case, you can always substitute the weightlifting exercises with similar bodyweight strength training exercises. For the gymnastics, there are also always substitutions that you will be able to do.

As always, before you do any of the exercises or workouts that you read from here or any other source, make sure that you recieve good instruction from a competent coach on how do these properly. Bottom line, the possibility of injury is always a risk we take.

For today, this is what I was able to do:

Warm up:
- 300 jump rope jumps
- Dynamic Range Of Motion exercises: shoulder dislocations, chicken wings, prone scorpions
- 10 reps each: incline rows, side lunges, v-ups, 30lb DB windmills

Strength Training:
5x5 Shoulder Press
- 1x5 @ 60, 70, 80, 90 lbs
- 4x4 @ 95 lbs (65% of previous 1RM)

Workout Of the Day:
10 rounds for time:
- 5 pull ups
- 10 push ups
- 15 squats
= 15min 55 sec

* Performance was down to around 80% of previous efforts. It will be a long hard climb back up. hehe.

bodyweight work out: leg power (lunge jumps)

WARM UP
- 200m run or 100 jump rope jumps or jumping jacks
- dynamic stretching/range of motion exercises (shoulder circles, vertical and horizontal arm swings, torso rotations, forward and side to side torso bends, forward-back and side to side leg swings)
- 10 reps: side lunges, forward lunges, push ups, crunches

SPECIFIC WARM UP
leg power: lunge jumps

Practice/Learn the lunge jump.

Do the following in 1 minute intervals:
- 15 squats
- 10 lunges
- 5 lunge jumps (1 jump per side = 1 rep)
- 5 lunge jumps
- 5 lunge jumps

WOD
Do 5 rounds for time:
- 15 tuck ups
- 10 push ups
- 10 good mornings
- 5 lunge jumps

* Lunge jumps:
- The movement looks similar to the forward lunge, but instead of just stepping, you will jump in place and switch legs in mid-air.
- From a standing position with feet shoulder width apart, start by taking a big step forward with one leg.
- Lower your hips until your rear knee almost touches the ground, then immediately jump up.
- While in mid-air, quickly switch the positions of your legs such that the forward leg becomes the rear leg and vice versa.
- Land on a lunge with the opposite foot forward, landing first with the balls of your feet and then using the lowering movement of the lunge to absorb your landing.
- Immediately jump up and switch your legs in mid-air again to land in the same lunge as your starting position. That is 1 repetition.
- Make sure that you keep you keep your back straight, chest up, and head looking forward to the horizon throughout this exercise. Also, keep the knee of your forward leg aligned with and directly above your foot. You must also land as softly as you can, and refrain from stomping your legs on the ground.
- You can make this exercise easier by shortening your lunge, but once you are comfortable with this exercise you should try to keep you lunge as long as possible.

bodyweight workout: core stability (planks)

WARM UP
- 200m run or 100 jump rope jumps or jumping jacks
- dynamic stretching/range of motion exercises (shoulder circles, vertical and horizontal arm swings, torso rotations, forward and side to side torso bends, forward-back and side to side leg swings)
- 8 each of: forward lunges, squats, pushups, goodmornings, v-ups/crunches

SPECIFIC WARM UP
core stability: planks

Do 4 rounds, 15 seconds each of:
- front plank
- left side plank
- right side plank
- reverse plank

WOD
3 rounds for time:
- 400m run or 200 jump rope jumps or jumping jacks
- 10 burpees
- 15 good mornings

bodyweight workout: leg strength (single leg deadlift)

WARM UP
- 200m run or 100 jump rope jumps or jumping jacks
- dynamic stretching/range of motion exercises (shoulder circles, vertical and horizontal arm swings, torso rotations, forward and side to side torso bends, forward-back and side to side leg swings)
- 8 reps: push ups, tuck ups, pyramid push ups, supermans, side lunges

SPECIFIC WARM UP
leg strength: single leg deadlift

Learn/practice the single leg deadlift.

Do the following at 1 minute intervals per set:
- 1 set x 10 repetitions of regular squats
- 1 set x 8 reps of forward lunges
- 1 set x 6 reps of backward lunges
- 3 sets x 4 reps single leg deadlifts (1 set = do 4 single leg deadlifts on the left leg, then 4 more on the right leg)

WOD:
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
- 1 push up
- 1 squat jump
- 1 good morning
- 1 crunch/sit up
- 1 squat jump
- 1 pair of forward lunges
Try to be transition dynamically from one exercise to the next (i.e. do a burpee for the pushup-squat jump, then use the momentum from the situp to roll up to the bottom of the next squat, and lunging right after landing from the jump).
Try to rest only after the lunges.

* Single leg deadlift:
- Start from a single leg balance, with your raised leg positioned a little behind you.
- Lower yourself, bending on your hip and knee, until your hands reach the middle of your shins/calves.
- Try to keep your raised leg above the ground behind you. If you lose balance, you can let it touch the ground but do not put any weight on it.
- Always maintain a straight or slightly arched back, with shoulders also pulled back. Neck should be aligned with the spine, and bending knee must always be aligned with your foot.
- You can make this more challenging by going lower and touching your feet instead of your mid-shins, or lightly touching your rear knee to the ground.

This is a good demonstration of a single leg deadlift (we won't need to use weights): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA1n11ph_wU

Another good demo, this one touches the rear knee to the ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQdFpjKEjHw&feature=related

weights workout: leg strength (dumbbell squat)

WARM UP
- 200m run or 100 jump rope jumps or jumping jacks
- dynamic range of motion exercises
- 10 reps: side lunges, push ups, goodmornings, v-ups/tuck ups/crunches

SKILL/SPECIFIC WARM UP
leg strength (dumbbell squat 5x5)

Practice/Learn the dumbbell squat.

Do 5x5 dumbbell squats
- 5 sets x 5 reps each set
(Rest for 2 minutes per set. Since I'm assuming that everyone is new to weightlifting exercises, everyone should start out with 10lb dumbbells. Concentrate on doing the exercise with proper form, and with full range of motion. No need for any warm up sets for now.)

WOD
Do 21-15-9 for time:
- burpees
- tuck ups
- squats (bodyweight only, no dumbbells)

* Dumbbell squat:
- Start from a standing position with feet shoulder width apart with toes pointing slightly outward, back straight or slightly arched. Dumbbells are carried on each hand either on the sides with both arms relaxed and extended downwards, or above shoulders with elbows pointing forward (dumbbells can rest on the shoulders).
- In a deliberate and controlled manner, lower yourself by starting to bend at the hips, followed by the knees, until your hips are as low as your knees. Moving through your full range of motion is crucial. Your knees can move forward to slightly beyond your toes (keep them pointed in the same direction as toes). Do not pause nor relax at the bottom of the squat.
- Right when you reach the bottom position of your squat, aggressively go right back up to full hip extension by pulling your hips upward first. Your knees must not move any further forward when you are moving upward.
- Keep your head and chest up, knees pointed in the same direction as toes, and weight on your heels. Keep your body tight and never relax at any point in the lift, specially at the bottom.
- Keep the dumbbells directly above or below your shoulders, and they must be balanced directly above your feet on your front-back/anteroposterior axis (when someone looks at you from your side, your midfoot, shoulders, and the weights must remain lined up vertically throughout the lift).

This is a description and animation of a dumbbell squat with the weights held to the sides: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSquat.html
This is a description and animation of a dumbbell squat with the weights held above the shoulders: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBFrontSquat.html